Hydrocarbon burner



JUI- 16 1940- J. l.. anx-:Ess:

HYDROCRBON BURNER Original lFiled Oct. 20, 1957 g-v--o--oo o oo Patented Jamie, `1940 PATENT omas mnooannoN nomma LBreele, Santa Fe, N. Mex., assignor to Oil Devices,` Santa Fe, N.` Mex., a limited partcnam" application october zo, 1937, serial No. l

Divided and this application May 12; 1938, Serial No. 207,484. Renewed June 16.

Myinvention relates, to an improvement in hydrocarbon burners and has for one purpose the provision of` an improved burner with amaximum turn-down, whereby such. a burner may `Ii operate at a minimum" oil consumption during "periods when a heating result is not desired but when` a pilot flameis necessary to` prevent the need for religliting. l

other purpose is the provision of `means for 10 preventing down drafts or Veddy `currents in the, L

sol-called pot type lo! hydrocarbon buruerin which a mixing zone is defined by a wallor walls y 1 `Whereas the size and proportion of the parts may provided with primary andI secondary air inlet apertures located at` different levels. l

Another purpose is the provision of an im- I "proved multi-stage burner in which the same. burner may be readily burned at varying heating` effects. l I y w Other purposes will appear from timeito time in the course of thelspecication and claims. l The present application yis a division-of my co-pendingapplicationSerial No. 169,96Il` filed in the Patent Ofiiceon October 20, 1937. I illustrate my inventionmore or less diagram- `zsmaticallyin the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1` is a vertical Vaxialsection through a l burner; Figure 2,1's a `partialsection onfthe line 2--2 of Figure 1; L I y Figure 3 is aplan viewo a` variant form; and Figure iis a vertical section takenon the line l-I of Figure 3. u s

Like `parts.

` are `indicated by like symbols throughout the specication` and drawing.` l

Referring to the drawing, I generallylndicates an outer member `ordrum provided with a bottom `2 having a central airinlet aperture `Il. ,The outer drum or member of the stove may be sup-` ported for example `by means of a plurality of` `ings I. t indicatesacircumferentlal inwardly" extending flange adapted to receive the mixing chamber proper. I illustrate the mixing chamber `as including a generally rectangular` wall mem` her 6 having'` an upper flange l whnlcby it may be iiows initially `into thecompartment or section 45 a, l In "practice, combustion `may first be made supported upon the flange 5.` Il indicata-'r downwardly inclined `bottom member in oornrrlunica-` tion wltha `fuel inlet pipe 9 through which `any suitable liquidhydrocarbon -may beadmitted to thebottom Il.' y

The member 6 is provided with a plurality of ranged at four levels and scattered generally uni-` formly throughout the major I portion of the height of the member 6. `It `will be understood |55` that thelowest of these apertures is above the primary air apertures Ill herein shown as 'arf e claims. ,(01. 15a-91)` maximumlevel of the fuel admitted through the pipe t. Il indicates a, row of secondary air inlet apertures herein shown as upwardly and inwardly inclined whereby a plurality of Jets of secondary air are admitted into the space 1m- 5 mediately above the mixing one donned by the lower portion of the member 6. The location and arrangement of the primary and secondary air inlet apertures may be widely varied.

I2, I3 indicate a pair of vertical partition 10 membersv shown as generally parallel and as perpendicular to the long axis of the member 6.

be greatly varied, what illustrate is a burner `divided lntola pluralityof separate spaces or 15 the member 6 so that the liquid hydrocarbonlo y fuel may flow below the lower edges of the meme bers I2, I3 and thus passfrom section to section. I illustrate the pipe 9 as communicating with the section a, as shown in both figures. The bot` tom `8 may be somewhat convex butin any case 25" y is preferably slanted down from theinlet ofthe supply member 9 so that the liquid hydrocarbon will flow by gravity from section to section. It

` willbe understood that other passage means from section to section may be employed if it is under 30 any circumstances desirable not to rely simply on ailoose fit. Thus apertures or notches may be formed inthe members I2, I3 or passages may be formed in the bottom 8, or inthe side walls of the member 6 adjacent the bottom. It will be understood that the sections a, ande are `each so small in cross sectional area" f in relation to the height as to have substantially a chimney effect. That is to say, there will be a prevention `of down drafts and eddy currents 4() caused by the relatively restrictedcross sectional t I area of each such passage.

Hydrocarbon fuel from the member 9 is admitted to the downwardly sloping bottom and tobegin in compartment a. A certain amount of I will take place in the compartment a. If a rela-f` 50 tively small flow of fuel is supplied, all of the fuel passing through the pipe 9 may be vaporized in I thecompartment a and may be mixed with air `passing through theapertures ID, and thereafter 'chimney chambers in series. cular bottom member with fuel inlet 2|.

and combustion takes place ,in y,that one section alone. Ifv there is sufficient fuel supplied to cause an overflow into compartment b, combustion may be initiated therein by dropping a match or the like or, after a lag, it will be initiated as a result of the heating of the separatingpar'tition or as a result of the passage of ignited liquid hydrocarbons and flame through the space between the two compartments. Finally, if a full fuel supply is delivered, the entire series of compartments will be supporting fuel combustion, since the amount of liquid hydrocarbon which can be. burned off in the initial compartment ais limited, and the excess hydrocarbon will flow from section to section until it reaches the final section or chimney'c.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, I illustrate a structure which involves the same principle but which includes arranging a group of individual I illustrate a cir- Extending upward from the bottom member is a generally cylindrical wall 22 having primary air apertures 23 and secondary air apertures 24; lI illustrate a central cylindrical wall 25 having similar apertures. Radial wal1s426'connect the Walls 2 2 and 25 and form aiseries of independent chimney chambers correspondingl tothe chambers a, b and c shown in Figure 2, Which may be'numbered consecutively from c to f. Fuel is admitted to the initial chamber a in only a small quantity sufcient to maintain combustion inthat chamber only. If an additional excess quantityis 4 delivered, the fuel may flow to the adjacent chambers b and for example, and finally to chambers c, d and e. In other words, the number of chambers'which will be in use is governed bythe supply ofliquid hydrocarbon. delivered initially to the chamber a. By a sloppy fit or by other means, the partitions 26`are'so disposed as to permit passage of liquid hydrocarbon around or beneath or through them from chamber to chambe. I t will be realized that whereas I have herewith shown and described a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in thersize, shape, number and disposition of parts Without `departing from the spirit of the invention, and I wish, therefore, that my showing A be taken as in abroad sense diagrammatic.

Whereas I have described and shown herein burners of the hydroxilation4 typein which primary and secondary air apertures occur in theV walls, it will be understood that I do not wish to type.'

down eddies which break up the characteristic mode of two-stageccmbustion obtained byburners of the type herein shown.`

Whendown drafts are prevented, the air pene- The use land operation of my invention are as follows; Y I

One purpose for employing a plurality of spaces bounded by partitions instead of a single open interior isA that by employing smallei spaces thecross sectional area of each such space is so small that an up current is maintained,'due to the chimney effect, which keeps eddy currents of air from descending toward the bottom of the space. ItV is highly desirable to prevent down-drafts or combustion to form a primary mixture.

trating through the primary apertures I0 mixes with the hydrocarbon vaporized by the heat of This primary mixture in turn receives its final air supply through the secondary air apertures ll, and burns with a clear flame and'without the deposit of free carbon.V If down drafts or back eddies from above carry air down into the space within the member 6, the normalprocess of combustion is disturbed anda loss of efficiency and the deposit of carbon, and smoking follows:

In effect, inthe device above described, each sector or space becomes a separate mixing zone and, being relatively narrow with respect to its height, ysubstantially is free from eddy currents from above, due to the chimneyleffect caused by its relatively small cross-sectional area. Many variations in detail may be made.

If I divide the entire space into three, as shown in Figure 2, I can maintain a pilot flame in one section with a very small fuel consumption. Broadly,if a given size of burner burns a minimum of say three gallons in twenty-four hours, one sector is able to burn a minimum of one gallon in twenty-four hours. V

In practice, a very small flow of liquid fuel may be delivered to the initial section a and in any event, combustion having been initiated, an up draft vis established due to the relatively narrow cross section of -the space. If only a small volume of fuel is delivered, it is evaporated before it can flow into the adjacent sections b and c. The chimney effect is highly advantageous in preventing down drafts and eddy currents which destroy the balance of combustion and result in the deposition of free carbon. In the present burner, the laterally extending series of separate comv partments are fed with fuel one from the other,

vflexible heating control.

It will be observed that in the form of Figures 3 and 4, the bottom 20 is provided with a central opening 20a. A cover 20h serves to prevent the upward escape of air and to constrain the passage of air inwardly into'the individual heating'compartments through the apertures 23 and 24.

I claim:l

l. In a hydrocarbon burner, a mixing chamber v including a pair of side Walls having air apertures,

a bottom for said mixing chamber, generallyvertical partition Walls extending between said side Walls and dividing the interior of the chamber into a plurality of separate spaces, each of said spaces having a horizontal cross sectional area suflciently small in relation to the height of such space substantially to prevent down drafts or eddies during combustion, means for directing a hydrocarbon into one of said spaces, and means effective to permit the ow of excess hydrocarbon into adjacenty spaces.

2. Ina hydrocarbon burner, a mixing chamber including a pair of parallel side walls having air apertures, a bottom for said mixing chamber,

V including a pair of generally equidistant side walls having air apertures, a bottom for said `mixing chamber, generally vertical partition walls extending between said side walls and dividing the interior of the chamber into a plurality of separate-compartments, each ofl said compartments having a horizontal cross sectional area sufliciently small, `in `relation to the height oi' such compartment, substantially to prevent down drafts or eddies during combustion, and to maintain in effect a chimney action, means for directing a liquid hydrocarbon into the bottom of one of said spaces, and meanseifective to permit the ow of `excess hydrocarbon from said space into adjacent spaces,*when more hydrocarbon is delivered to said initial space than can be consumed therein. l y

`4. In a hydrocarbon burner, a mixing chamber `including apair of generally equi-distant side ,walls having air apertures, a bottom for said mixing chamber, generally vertical partition walls extending betweensaid side walls and dihorizontal dimension of each such compartment being lessthan its height whereby substantially to prevent down draitsor eddies during combusl tion, and to maintain in effect a chimney'action,

means for directing a liquid hydrocarbon into4 the bottom of one voi said spaces, and means effective to permitthe iiow of `excess hydrocarbon can be consumed therein.`

5. In aA hydrocarbon burner, a mixing chamber including a pair of equi-distant side walls `having `ist air admission inlet apertures therein,` a bottom for `said `mixing chamber connecting said side walls, partitions extending between said side walls and dividing the interior of the chamber intoa plurality of separate spaces, the largest horizontal dimension of each such space being l lessthan` its height, and means` for admitting a `liquid `hydrocarbon toone of said chambers, said chambers being `provided with communicating l connections whereby excess hydrocarbon may flow fromthe chamber of its initial admission to anadjacent chamber or chambers, when more hydrocarbon is supplied to such initial chamber thancan be burned therein. i

6. In ahydrocarbon burner, a mixing chamber including a pair of equi-distant side walls having air admission inlet apertures therein, a bottom for said mixing chamberconnecting said `side walls, partitions extending between said side walls and `dividing the interior of the chamber into` a plurality of separate spaces, the largest horizontal dimension of each such space being less than its height, and means for admitting a liquid hydrocarbon to one of said chambers, said chambers rbeing provided with communicating `connections whereby excess hydrocarbon may now from the chamber of its initial admission to `an adjacent chamber or chambers, when more hydrocarbon is supplied to such initial chamber than can be burned therein, said side walls lying in parallel longitudinally extending planes.

7. In a hydrocarbon burner, a mixing chamber including a pair of equi-distant side walls having air admission inlet apertures therein, a bottom ior said mixing chamber connecting said side walls, partitions extending between said side walls and dividing the interior ot the chamber into a plurality of separate spaces, the' largest horizontal dimension of each such space being` to an adjacent ,chamber or chambers, when more hydrocarbon is supplied to such initial chamber than can be burned therein, saidside walls being arcuate and concentric.

8. `Ina hydrocarbon burner, a mixing chamber including a, pair oi equi-distant side walls having for said mixing chamber connecting said side walls, `partitions extending between said side air. admission inlet apertures therein, a. bottom walls and` dividing the interior of the chamber! f into a plurality of separate spaces, the largest horizontal dimension `of eachsuch space being less than itsheight, and means for admitting a liquid hydrocarbon to one of said chambers, said chambers being provided with communicating connections whereby excess hydrocarbon may iiow from the chamber of its initial admission to an adjacent chamber or chambers, when more hydrocarbon is supplied to such initial chamber than can be burned therein, said side walls being arcuate and concentric, the space dedned by the inner side wall being in communication with the atmosphere at its lower portion, and closure means for closing the upper portion of said space `and forthereby constraining the passage of air into said chambers through the apertures in said inner side wall.

Jams L. 

